NEW RESTAURANT COMING TO EL CAJON

URBN Restaurant expected to move into downtown location that was vacated in April

El Cajon  URBN Restaurant Inc. is nearing completion of talks with the property owner and the city of El Cajon to take over the site that had been occupied by El Cajon Brewing Co., which closed its doors in April.

No deal has been signed, City Manager Doug Williford said last week, but by next month, things will start to come together for the restaurant on Magnolia Avenue near Main Street in downtown El Cajon.

“It will be a two-step process,” Williford said. “First a lease with the property owner Howard Fisher, then likely in August, we will take an agreement on the outstanding loan to the City Council, then our Oversight Board, then the Department of Finance of the state. This will take a few months.”

After speaking to various interested parties to take over, Fisher is close to concluding lease negotiations with URBN Restaurant Inc. At the same time, the city has had discussions with the new tenant about assuming the outstanding loan that the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency issued to improve the building in 2010.

Once the lease is concluded with the property owner, Williford said that a new loan agreement will be presented to the City Council.

Since the El Cajon Brewing Co. closed, the parties involved have been jointly working to find a quality new restaurant and microbrewery for the site. URBN’s current holdings include URBN Coal-Fired Pizza in North Park and Vista as well as BASIC in downtown San Diego. While those venues serve craft beer, the food side will be handled by Alex Carballo.

Carballo has served as the executive chef and general manager for Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido.

“It’s no surprise San Diego’s best restaurateurs want to come here,” City Councilman Bill Wells said. “Whoever takes over the lease will do very well in our new revitalized downtown.”